Do you remember your childhood? The way you used to play outside all the time and your mom would keep telling you to come inside or to come home when it gets dark! Now you see your kids, spending most of their time indoors, watching TV, playing video games or engrossed with some other electronic gadgets. You may feel that they are losing out on their quality time with nature.
If you want your kids to step out of the house all you need to do is plan and encourage your child to engage in some fun outdoor activities. The outdoor activities are not only helpful for your kid’s physical health but also for the mental wellbeing of your child.
List of 15 Exciting Kids Outdoor Activities
Here we have some exciting and fun outdoor activities for children that they will enjoy to the fullest:
1. Gardening
Gardening is an interesting outdoor activity that helps your kids learn about various plants and flowers. The best way to help your kids start this activity is by giving them a plant to grow on their own. You may guide them on when to water the plant or do the weeding.
When they see the plant growing, they will surely love the experience. If you have a kitchen garden of your own where you grow vegetables or fruits, then you may also take your kid for the vegetable picking. The child will surely find this activity very interesting.
2. Find the Ball
This activity with a ball will make your kids have loads of fun. All you need for this outdoor activity is a ping-pong ball or any small ball which cannot be easily spotted. You may tell your kids to call their friends also. One player is chosen as a captain and is entrusted with the task of hiding the ball and returning to the same spot. The others have to find the hidden ball.
As they get closer to the ball the captain has to shout ‘HOT’ and as they move away, the captain has to shout ‘COLD’. The player, who finds the ball, gets to hide it next.
3. Bike Ride
Encourage your kids to ride their bikes often as it is not only a great way of keeping them healthy but it is also a lot of fun. The best option is to opt to go on bikes to all the nearby places such as a library, supermarket or even to a friend’s house. Riding a bike is the best way to enjoy the warm weather and stock up on some vitamin D while you do so.
You may even plan family bike riding tours and explore new places or neighbourhood together. Bike riding is a great way of getting your kid out of the house and venturing around. Riding a bike also gives them a feeling of freedom and self-confidence.
4. Passing the Ball
This is another fun activity with a ball. This outdoor activity would be more fun if there are a number of children. Tell all the children to form a circle and then play some music. While the music plays, the kids must keep passing the ball and as the music stops, the kid holding the ball gets out. The game continues till a single kid remains and is declared the winner of the game. You may use any big ball, such as basketball, baseball or football for this activity.
5. Swimming
All kids love to have some water fun and the best way to have some is by swimming. You may take your child to the swimming pool for some splashing around. This activity is especially suitable for the summer holidays.
Swimming is not only a great outdoor activity but it is a life skill everyone must learn. It is also a great way to be healthy and fit and your kid may maintain this fitness regime, later in life too.
6. Tug of War
Tug of war is a fun group activity for your kids. Divide the kids in two equal groups and make them stand in two lines, facing each other. Draw a vertical line between the members of both the teams. Take a long rope or cloth and let all the group members hold it firmly.
You may act as a referee and after you hint them to start, both the teams can start pulling the rope towards them. The team that makes the other team cross the vertical line wins.
7. The handkerchief Game
Make the kids sit in a circle and one of them will be standing holding the handkerchief. The kid would start moving around the kids who are sitting and will drop the hanky behind any one of them, quietly.
The kid will need to take a full circle and come back to the same position, where the hanky was dropped. If the kid gets caught, he/she must try again and if not then the kid behind whom the handkerchief was dropped gets a chance.
8. Tail Tag
This is another exciting activity with handkerchiefs. Tell all the kids to tuck a hanky to their belts or pockets like tails. The main aim is to collect maximum tails and save your own tail. The kid who is able to collect maximum tails wins the game.
9. Treasure Hunt
Kids love it whenever there is a change from the mundane day to day activities and treasure hunt is one such outdoor activity that gives your kids a feel of real adventure.
This activity requires you to plan in advance. You have to make clues and hide them in your garden or backyard. Let your kids be on their own and become little explorers and find the treasure. This activity is also good for developing problem-solving skills in kids.
10. Hopscotch
This activity is all about jumping and hopping. You may use coloured chalks to make hopscotch board on a hard surface or concrete. You may make the hopscotch board look more attractive by decorating it.
11. Find Your Friend
This is an interesting outdoor activity which involves blindfolding. One kid is blindfolded and is made to roam around to tag the friends.The tagged friend will join and link arms and find other friends.
Adult supervision may be required to play this game as children may topple or fall down and get hurt, in unattended.
12. Play with Mud and Sand
Kids love to get dirty and what better than giving them some mud and sand to play with. You may make a play corner in your lawn or garden and put some sand and mud there. Give your kids some kid-friendly tools and let them dig, shovel or do other stuff. It is also been proven that playing in the dirt and exposing your kids to various bacteria and viruses help them strengthen their immune systems.
13. Help your Kids Organize a Dog Show
If you have a pet dog, you may encourage your kid to have a Dog Show, by inviting all the neighbourhood dogs. You may have some interesting competitions for the dogs, such as the best-groomed dog, the fastest dog or the most obedient dog and select the winners based on the competitions.
You may appoint few children as the panel of judges to help assess the best dog. Small gifts for the owner and the dog can be arranged by asking everyone to contribute.
14. The Water Balloon Game
The water balloon game is a very exciting summer outdoor activities for kids. All you need for this activity is big balloons and some sticks or baseball bats. Fill 10-15 balloons with water and tie all of them to a stick and place the stick horizontally anywhere in your lawn or backyard.
Blindfold one kid at a time and give them a stick to target the balloon. The sudden splash of water is thrilling for the kids and the kid bursting the maximum number of balloons wins. You may supervise this activity to avoid any accidents from happening.
15. The Cleaning Activity
Anything that includes fiddling with water excites every kid. You may give a small bucket full of water, some shampoo and old rags to your kids for cleaning.
Task them to clean their bikes, scooters or even their toys. This activity also helps them to learn how to take care of their belongings. You may help your kid showcase their newly cleaned bikes and toys by moving around in the neighbourhood.
The above-mentioned activities can be enjoyed by your kids and their friends. It does not matter what or which outdoor activity your kids prefer, but what matters is that they do not confine themselves to the four walls of their rooms and come outdoors to have fun. The outdoor activities boost your kids’ mental, physical and emotional health. Though summer is a good time to get your children to have some outdoor fun, it will be a good idea to make time for such activities on day to day basis.
